European Commissioner for Energy to discuss prospects of cooperation with Azerbaijan

European Commissioner for Energy, Gunther Oettinger will discuss the prospects for energy cooperation with Azerbaijan in Baku.

Oettinger will visit Baku to attend an informal meeting of the energy ministers of the EU Eastern Partnership participating countries, to be held Sept. 9, diplomatic sources told Trend.

Earlier Azerbaijan took the initiative to hold an informal meeting of ministers of foreign affairs and energy ministers of the EU Eastern Partnership.

To this end, the foreign ministers and the energy ministers of the Eastern Partnership will meet on Sept. 8-9 in Baku. The meetings are planned to discuss prospects for cooperation.

It is expected that the EU will be represented at these meetings by the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, Stefan Fule and Commissioner for Energy, Gunther Oettinger.

During the visit, Oettinger will meet with the Azerbaijani officials and discuss topical issues of cooperation.

Azerbaijan is on the threshold of starting gas supplies to Europe.

The gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of the Azerbaijani 'Shah Deniz' offshore gas and condensate field's development will be delivered to Europe (10 billion cubic meters) through the creation of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

These projects are a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, designed to diversify the sources of gas supply to Europe.

In September 2013, the consortium for development of the 'Shah Deniz' field signed long-term contracts with buyers of the Azerbaijani gas in Europe.

The signed agreements on the sale of gas are designed for 25 years.

The contracts for the purchase of the gas from the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz field's development were signed in Baku with Shell, Bulgar Gas, DEPA, Gas Natural Fenosa, EON, Gaz de France, Hera, Enel, and Axpo companies.

The EU program Eastern Partnership covers six countries, including Azerbaijan.

It is an initiative of Poland and Sweden aimed at improving relations with the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as part of the European Neighborhood Policy.